Stories of Hope

Charles and Melissa both grew up in Utah, Charles in Layton and Melissa was raised in Kanab. They met while earning their degrees at Utah State University and married after dating for a year. They waited until their careers had traction and decided to start a family two years later.I t was a responsible and thoughtful pathway that is likely similar to most couples. But their lives took a hard turn when their son Perrin was born.

It was an easy pregnancy with no issues, the labor and birth went as planned, but Perrin never took his first breath. He was rushed out of the labor room while CPR was applied and ½ hour later he was stabilized and his first 6 months were spent in hospitals in the Critical Care Units. Perrin is now 4 years old and experiences 20-30 seizures a day and requires supervision around the clock. If he becomes ill the seizures can escalate to 200 per day. In the event they need a baby sitter they must be a nurse trained in CPR and resuscitation. Perrin is under the care of 15 specialists which puts added hardship on the couple.

This is a story about a family through no fault of their own found themselves spiraling down from their middleclass background into the low income demographic. Their new life’s compass was doing everything possible to keep their son alive and reduce his suffering. This is also a story about an amazing family that lives each day with grace. They live within their means, they have organized their lives into the puzzle they were thrown into and they have worked to carve out the best life they can with the hand they have been dealt.

Charles works for Delta Airlines and learned about Habitat for Humanity through a co-worker when the company sponsored a home. They made application for a home two years ago and were accepted into the program.

On Friday, February 6th , 2015 both Melissa and Charles joined other volunteers on the first day of the building of their home in Kearns.